Riolythe
Riolythe is the homeland of the elves. It stretches along the western coast of Mirilarin, and consists almost entirely of old growth deciduous forest. The weather is temperate and mild, controlled strictly to be optimal for the inhabiting plants and animals. The entirety of the country is owned, if not fully inhabited; the majority of the land is divided amongst the sprawling estates of the various houses, with only a single urban center bearing the same name as the country. Population The population of Riolythe is small, fairly stable, and almost exclusively elven. Birth rates tend to remain very low, due to the reduced fertility of elves. Death rates follow a similar trend, as disease, famine, and war are all worries left long in the past. The border policies of Riolythe are extremely strict; most natives never leave, and very few non-elves are allowed entry. The few who do enter the country are usually ambassadors or wealthy tourists; border papers are required by those entering or leaving, and even elves who have lived in Riolythe their whole lives have troubles re-entering the country should they leave without proper passage. The wooded portions of the border with Asanon are guarded by magical walls, wards and alarms. There has been greatly increased traffic out of Riolythe in the last century for tourism's sake, though there are still almost negligable elven emmigrants; entry into Riolythe remains strict. Culture Riolythe is home to a rigid caste system. The highest tier is made up of the seven high houses. Members of these houses are considered to come from the purest, most noble bloodlines, and it is they who form the governing council of the country. The other tiers of the caste system are made up of the low houses, who have at some point mingled with humans or half-elves, and the Cor name, which is not a single family, but rather all Riolythan half-elves, their descendants, and those elves whose houses have been dissolved. This caste system, with its focus on matrilineal bloodlines, defines everything for the citizens of Riolythe; an individual's position in society is determined first by the position of their family, and then by their position within the family. Individuals are referred to by their family names first, and their given names only when there are multiple members of the same family present. To refer to Riolythan by their given name only is an act of great familiarity and is usually reserved for couples and their children in private. Half-elves are not seen as elves in Riolythan eyes; if they are any more than one generation removed from pure elven blood, then they are humans as far as they are concerned. Unfortunately, due to the elves low fertility, it is sometimes found necessary to enlist the help of a human, invariably a male, to assist. Regardless of necessity, it is still considered a failing; several houses have been demoted over the years due to this practice, and the current High Houses have never outbred. First generation half-elves have hyphenated family names to denote their place, and are collectively known as "Dahl" elves. If a Dahl elf has a child with another Dahl or a Cor, than the resulting child will be given the Cor name, and if they should have a child with a human, they are barred from having an elven family name entirely. However, should a Dahl elf have a child with a Low House member, the child will take the Low House name as normal, and the unfortunate outbreeding will be overlooked. Religion does not play a role in Riolythian society, but rather, the arcane arts as are revered as the supreme power. As magic has done away with poverty, and even need, most individuals spend their time immersed in the quest for knowledge, or the refinement of the arts and various skills. All elves recieve extensive education, and there are none in Riolythe who are not trained in at least the basics of arcane magic. Overall, there is a pervading sense of decadence to the culture or Riolythe, perhaps slightly marred by an undercurrent of fear of stagnation felt by many of the residents, though rarely given voice to. By far, the most cultural deviance is seen in those of the Cor name, while those of the high houses are dedicated to the preservation and continuation of their ancient traditions. Family Names High Houses *Drow - This family studies and safeguards magic particularly surrounding arcane-driven evolution (such as what birthed the elves). *Tir - This family is in charge of the elves' geneology; they arrange every marriage in Riolythe. *Vol - This family collects and studies rare and advanced magic without obvious general usage, including destructive and highly-specified spells. *Iro - This family dictates the public education curriculum and administrates the school. *Yuen - This family has particular interests in highly advanced or theoretical physical sciences and math. *Soh - This family practices the secular worship of arcana, and thus provide clerical services to Riolythe. *Wen - This family controls the weather and climate of Riolythe through the application of scheduled magic. Low Houses *Ara - This family particularly studies craftsmanship of goods. *Ruran - This family particularly centers its studies around animals: their biology, husbandry, habitat, and other related topics. *Feern - This family particularly studies sewing and clothing manufactury. *Leyu - This family particularly studies the perfection of the fulfillment of physical needs, such as gourmet cooking, aromatherapy, and massage. *Har - This family is in charge of providing raw building and crafting materials to Riolythe through magically-tended and renewed mines and farms. *Gho - This family particularly supports the secular worship of arcana, and most serve the Soh family as lesser clerics. *Brun - This family particularly centers its studies around tending, classifying, breeding and arranging plants. *Vin - This family particularly studies visual, written and musical arts. *Nion - This family particularly studies engineering and architecture. *Kyn - This family particularly studies martial forms, dances and other forms of sport. All other elves are of the Cor name. Most take up jobs serving the other houses in some fashion or another, usually by using various magic implements to create food and to keep homes and facilities in immaculate and aesthetically-fashionable shape. Category:Mirilarin Category:Riolythe Category:Country